Fergus the Generator
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: Fergus is nowadays mainly used as a generator when others break down, and he's starting to feel tired about it. But when some heroic events come his way, he may just prove he can be an Enterprising Engine.


Ever since Fergus was used as a generator for the Lighthouse during a storm, the idea of Fergus' flywheel being used as a temporary generator caught on.

When Fergus wasn't working at the Cement Works, he was being used as a generator.

"Perfect, Fergus! Now, turn the flywheel!" said a workman.

He got tired of it pretty quickly though.

One morning, Fergus puffed into Brendam Docks with a train from the Cement Works.

The other engines noticed Fergus looked a bit unusual.

"Argh, you look stressed, matey." observed Salty.

Fergus came to a halt beside Salty, groaning.

"I am. I'm just so sick of being a generator. Why can't they just build their own generators?" Fergus complained, "I'm supposed to be The Pride of the Cement Works! Not 'The Pride of Electronics'!"

"Oh don't worry, matey. I'm sure you'll set sail again soon."

"Besides," added Porter, "At least you're being useful for the Fat Controller. Isn't that what you want to do?"

"Well, yes, but I want being a locomotive as a priority." replied Fergus, "I want to do it right and be a Really Useful Engine, not a Useful Generator. What good is a generator anyway?"

"Well, they help make electricity," said Porter, "And that's important."

"...pfft..."

Bill and Ben arrived with a train of china clay, and overheard Fergus' latest statement, remembering how he bossed them about.

As they came to a halt alongside Fergus, they quickly became annoyed.

"Yes Fergus, we know. 'Do it right.'" huffed Bill.

"From morning until night!" snorted Ben, "You're so predictable."

Fergus sighed sadly just as Winston raced up with the Fat Controller.

"Well, for once you did a semi-decent stop, sir... finally. I guess throwing away your chips was a good idea." mumbled Winston.

"Winston, have some dignity," said the Fat Controller angrily, "You're my inspection car."

Winston gulped.

"Y-yes sir..."

The Fat Controller cleared his throat, and then looked to Fergus.

"Fergus, there's an urgent emergency. The power plant on the Peel Godred Branch's generator broke. That means no electricity for the Peel Godred engines until something changes. So I'm sending you so your flywheel can power the plant until a new one is sent."

Fergus' face fell.

"Are you serious, sir...?"

"Yes, Fergus. This is a serious matter. But don't worry. Derek will be looking after your Cement Works."

Fergus sighed.

"That is worrying... But I can't argue with the controller..." he thought and he puffed away, feeling a bit upset; he had to be a generator once again.

Salty frowned as he looked at the distraught Fergus.

"Er, sir, Fergus was wondering..." Salty began, but the Fat Controller was already driving away in Winston.

"It's a wonder he hasn't had an accident," snickered Ben.

Later, Fergus puffed into Killdane, where the blue electric engine was stuck with a goods run.

"This is unhealthy for me," he sighed, "I want to be moving again."

He looked up to find the railway traction engine puffing towards him.

"Hello there," the electric engine said, "I suppose you're the new generator. You know the way?"

"Oh, hello." replied Fergus glumly, "And... yes I do. I've done this before... Many times..."

"Well, good luck then!" called the electric engine.

Fergus rolled his eyes and puffed onto the branch line.

"Well, someone's in a bad mood." muttered the blue engine.

Fergus grew more and more worried as he chuffed towards his destination.

"What if I have to be a generator for the rest of my life? What about the Cement Works?"

"Don't worry, Fergus. This is just a bit of a different service," replied his driver.

But Fergus still had his doubts.

At the Sodor Electric Company, the yellow electric engine couldn't move.

"Curse these wires! If only I would be able to work!"

"Yeah, me too..." muttered Fergus as he was put into place.

Fergus' flywheel started to spin and this caused the generator to make electricity.

The energy went into the wires, and from there gave the electric engines power.

Soon, lights turned back on and the Electric engines grinned; they were glad to have their power back.

"Nice job, there," the black electric engine said.

Fergus sighed.

"...sure..."

The yellow electric engine went on his way to deliver his passengers and noticed that Fergus was unhappy. So he decided to tease him.

"Later, generator!" he said cheekily as he rolled out of sight.

Fergus was cross.

"I'm only a generator because of my flywheel. You think I like doing this?"

The other electric engines laughed and went away, one by one, leaving Fergus by himself to generate the electricity.

Fergus had to stay in the same position all the way until noon.

A whistle blew as Fergus felt very alone.

 _All I have now is my driver and fireman_ _..._

"Um, excuse me?" came a voice.

Fergus looked up to find Arthur coming to a halt with a flatbed.

"Oh. Hi Arthur..."

"I'm not sure if this is of any importance to you, Fergus, but I did bring the new generator up here."

"Thank goodness too..." muttered Fergus.

"Is something wrong, Fergus?" asked Arthur worriedly, "I figured you'd be happy, since you could go back to the Cement Works."

"It's just that... well-"

Before Fergus could finish, a workman ran up to the two engines.

"Sir Topham Hatt needs you at the Fishing Village. There's an emergency!"

"What emergency?"

"I don't know; he just said it that way. Now go, it must be important!"

"Right! Come on Fergus!"

Fergus was confused as he was coupled up to the big tank engine.

"Just don't go too fast- Aaahhh!"

Arthur sped down the line while Fergus was going far past his usual speed.

At the Fishing Village, Nicholas the Crane was worried when Arthur and Fergus arrived.

"Thank goodness you're here, Arthur."

"What is it, Nicholas?" Arthur asked.

"We need the blue engine-"

"I'm Fergus..."

"Oh right. We need Fergus to be a generator so we can get that ship into the harbour." Nicholas said hastily, looking out toward a little boat out on the ocean.

Arthur and Fergus squinted and could see that the boat had no way of getting back to the shore.

But Fergus still wasn't happy.

"Being a generator's becoming old. Can't I help some other way?"

"Oh hurry up, please!" persisted Nicholas, "Those fishermen are in danger! A rope's already been thrown to the boat, so all you have to do is wheel them in. There's no other way."

 _How cliched_ _..._ thought Fergus.

The railway traction engine backed into a siding as Arthur and Nicholas watched with worry.

A rope was attached to his flywheel.

"Alright... Here I go..."

The flywheel started to turn, but suddenly it stopped.

Arthur gasped.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I don't know!" Fergus burst out.

Fergus tried as hard as he could, and the wheel started turning again, albeit slowly, and he started to wheel the boat in.

The fisherman were frantic and quickly sat in one spot, not daring to move.

But there were a lot of fish on the boat, which made pulling it very difficult.

"(pant) (pant) Almost..."

Nicholas and Arthur watched in horror as Fergus' flywheel stopped turning again.

"Fergus? What's wrong?" cried Nicholas, "We need to get those fisherman to shore!"

"I can't go on..." wheezed Fergus, "It's too heavy. I am only a small traction engine after all..."

"You can do it Fergus!" cheered Arthur, "You can save a couple of lives if you do this!"

Fergus looked out to vaguely see the fishermen's worried expressions; he didn't want to leave them out on the ocean.

The fireman shoveled more coal into Fergus's firebox.

"Think of the fishermen out there, Fergus! You're the Pride of the Cement Works!" added Nicholas, "And you can be a credit to the island!"

That was the extra push Fergus needed; he felt more determined than at any other time that day.

He started again, the flywheel moving slowly at first, then going quicker.

His cheeks were pink, and his funnel blared out steam at a fast rate.

Arthur and Nicholas watched intensely as the boat was tugged nearer and nearer.

The fisherman cheered as their white boat saw the harbour much more clearly.

With a final effort, Fergus wheeled the boat into the harbour.

Fergus was out of breath, but felt very proud.

"Hooray!" cheered the fishermen.

"Well done... Um..."

"His name is Fergus, Nicholas." chuckled Arthur.

Nicholas grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry... Well done, Fergus! That certainly was impressive!"

"I... Did... It..." panted Fergus; he was too tired to say much at all.

"Yes you did! You know, you have a habit of being a hero." added Arthur.

Despite being exhausted, Fergus felt proud.

"Goodbye everyone! I must get back to the Cement Works." Fergus whistled and he puffed away slowly.

At the Cement Works, the Fat Controller was waiting with Derek.

As Fergus puffed in, the Fat Controller cleared his throat and walked up to the railway traction engine.

"Well done, Fergus. That certainly was an impressive rescue. Although Salty was saying something about you, earlier. Do you know what that was about?"

Fergus sighed.

"I'm sorry sir; I didn't want to mention it to you since assigning jobs is your position, but... I guess I'm just tired of not pulling trains as much...but I suppose I was being a little selfish. Sorry..."

The Fat Controller nodded.

"I suppose I have taken the 'generator' thing a little too far... You are indeed an engine, and an enterprising one at that!"

Fergus grinned.

"Well, Fergus. You can get back to work at the Cement Works. Come on Derek; I have to go to M. C. Bunn."

The Fat Controller climbed into Derek's cab.

"Muffins, here I come!" he said triumphantly as Derek oiled away.

"Of course, sir!" grinned Fergus as Derek grew out of sight, deciding that being a generator isn't such a bad thing after all, but he was even happier to be an Enterprising Engine.


End file.
